Card cutting machine



April 10, y1934. E. L. BoswoRTH CARD CUTTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 10, 1934 l E. L. BoswoRTH 1,954,237

CARD CUTTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE CARD' CUTTING MACHINE Edwin L. Bosworth, Boston, Mass;`

Application August 18", 1931, Serial No. 557,767

9 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for cutting filing tabs on the edges of index cards.

It is the general object of my invention to provide an improved machine for cutting tabs on cards, so designed that a tab may be produced on a card `at any desired location thereon. A fura ther object is tcprovide a machine by which a tab may be produced of any desired width and locatedA at any desired distance from the end of the card.

A still further object is to provide an improved machine in which a card'may be quickly and accurately located with respect to the cutters, so that a tab may be produced in a desired location. To

the attainment of this object, I provide improved index scales by which a card may be denitely locatedfor cutting one edge of a tab in a selected location and for cutting the other edge to provide a tab` in any desired location or of any desired Width.

My invention further relates to arrangements and'combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of my improved card cutting machine;`

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof, looking in the direction of thearrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional front elevation, taken along the line 3 3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 isa detail plan View, looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partial plan View illustrating the position of the card for the iirst out;

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional front elevation, taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail plan view, illustrating the locating of the card for the second cut;

Fig. 8 is a partial plan View of a set of cards having a series of tabs of different widths formed thereon;

Fig. 9 is a partial front elevation showing the use of a card carrier, and

Fig. 10 sho-wsa modied cutter bar.

Referring to the drawings, my improved card cutting machine comprises a base orbed 10 sup- ,10 ported on legs 11. Cutter bars 12 and 13 are mounted at each side ofthe bed 10 and are' provided with studs 14' extending loosely' through fixed bearings 15 and 16. A spring 17 is mounted on each stud 14 between the bearing l15 thereof 55 and lock nuts 18 adjustable on said stud 14. The

springs 17 tend to draw the cutter bars 12 andl 13 iirmly toward operative position. p

A-cutter blade or knife `20 is secured to the under side of the cutter bar 12 by screws 21 and Wing nuts 22 extending through slots 23 and permitting 60 endwise adjustment. A similar blade or knife 25A is secured in the same way to the cutter bar 13 by screws 26 and Wing nuts 27. A

Cooperating cutter blades 3U and 31 are mounted at the side edges of the bed 10 in positionto 65 cooperate with the cutter blades 20 and 25. The blades 30 and 31 are secured to the bed 10 by clamping screws 32 extending through slots 33, which permit slight lateral adjustment of the blades 3()` and 31 to correct relation with the 70 movable blades 20 and 25. A

Wedge-shaped members 35 project downward from the cutter-bars` 12 and 13 and are' received in socketsformed by U-shapedmembers: 37 (Fig.

4) pressed against the side edges of the bed 10 75 by springs 38 mounted on clamping screws 39. The outer or connecting portionI of each member 37 is inclined, as indicated at 40 (Fig. 3), to correspond to the slope of the associated Wedge-like member 35. I Withthis construction, the cutter bars 12 and 13 aredrawnvyieldingly to correct position to cooperate with theiixed cutter blades 30 and 31 as the cutter bars are swung manually downward. The members 35 further from the pivot 14 are 85 made longer and are provided with cross pins to limit upward movement of the cutter bars. A

My improved card cutting machine is designed for cutting tabs T (Figs. '7 and 8) on the top edges of index cards D. The machine is designed more particularly for cutting a series of tabs Whichiare uniformly spaced from one end of the cards and variably spaced from the other end of the cards, asindicated in Fig. 8.

For the purpose of producing such tabs, I utilize the-right-hand portion of my improved cutting machine for making the rst cut 50fin thelefthandportion of the card-and I utilize the left-hand portion of my improved `cutting machine for making the out 51 in the right-hand 100 portion of the card.

In the right-hand portionof the machine I have provided a series of index lines 52 forming a scale, with lthe different lines indicated by the letters of the alphabet.

It is customary 'to make the right-hand cut 50 at diierent distances from' the' end of` the cards; so `that the tabs may be'variably located from the' left-hand end of the card.

Forinstance, the'cut fora `card 'A is velyslight, l1(

whereas the cut for a card M extends a substantial distance across the card, and a cut for a card Y or Z extends along a major portion of the top edge of a card.

For producing the rst cut of the card, the card is simply placed on the bed 10 in alignment with the desired line 52 and the cutter bar 12 is moved downward, removing a portion 50 from the left-hand edge of the card, all indicated in Fig. 5. Preferably the cutter blades 20 and 30 are so shaped that the edge of the tab will be slightly inclined outwardly.

I have also provided means by which a card may be located against a suitable stop pin (Fig. 6) instead of being placed on an index .line 52. Each stop pin 60 extends down through the bed 10 to the short end of a lever 61, pivoted at 62 and having a plunger 63 connected to the long end thereof. Fach plunger 63 extends up through the bed and is provided with a spring 64 which normally holds the plunger in inoperative position and with a head or button 65 adapted to receive a distinguishing letter, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5.

When the locating stops are provided, it is merely necessary to depress a button bearing the desired letter in order to raise a stop pin 60 in the desired location, after which the end of the card is placed against the abutment or pin 60 and it is unnecessasry to carefully align the card with an index line 52. The index lines are preferably formed on a plate 66 secured to the bed 10, but may loe formed directly on the bed if desired.

In Fig. 9 I have indicated the use of a carrier 80, slidable in guideways 81 and having an end ange or stop 32 and a side ange or guide 83. A card D may be placed in this carrier and against the side and end anges, and may then be moved longitudinally with the carrier to a desired position, indicated by an index line or stop pin, as in the forms previously described.

Having formed one side of the tab T in the desired location, I then utilize the left-hand part of the machine for making the second cut and completing the tab. For this purpose I provide a plate 'I0 having angularly disposed index lines 72 which may also be designated by the letters of the alphabet but with the series running in the opposite direction from the letters used to designate the lines 52 on the plate 66.

The upper end of each line 72 is preferably parallel to the front edge of the bed 10, as indicated at 72a.

I also provide consecutive numbers for each lettered line, said numbers being spaced apart along the inclined index lines 72.

It is at times desirable to form a set of cards as shown at C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5 in Fig. 8. These cards have the left-hand edge of each tab at a uniform distance from the end of the card, while the right-hand edge of the tab is spaced at decreasing distances from the right-hand edge of the card, so that the C5 tab is substantially Wider than the C1 tab.

Assuming that it is desired to produce a card with a C3 tab, I take a C card which has been previously cut as shown in Fig. 5, and place this C card on the index plate 70, with the end of the card cutting the inclined index line C at the point marked 3. When the card is thus located, the cutter bar 13 is moved downward, making the cut 51 in this selected location and producing the C3 card as indicated in Fig. '7, with a tab T of the desired length and in the desired location. Similarly the index lines 72 on the plate 70 may be utilized to locate a card for making the second cut to form a tab of any desired letter and number.

The letters may be described as indicating primary card positions and the iigures as indicating secondary positions.

Each location downward along a line 72 preferably corresponds to a space downward between the lines 72a so that a card positioned at C3 as above described will actually coincide with the line '72CL which is designated E. More accurate setting may be attained by setting the card approximately to the position C3 as described and then aligning it with the nearest line 72a, which will be the line E.

Obviously, numbered positions may be lettered and lettered positions may be numbered, on either part of the machine.

It will be understood that gauge plates 75 and 76 are provided as abutments for the bottom edges of the cards and against which the cards are located.

If tabs of one width only are desired, a cutterblade (Fig. 10) having a notch 91 may be substituted for the blade 20 previously described, and the entire tab may be formed at one cut. Of cours? a coacting blade is used with it in sub-a stitution for the blade 30.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages and use thereof, it will be seen I have 1 provided a very simple card cutting machine by which tabs may be provided on cards, which tabs may be of any desired length and in any desired location. I have also provided simple and inexpensive means by which the cards may be located quickly and easily in the machine.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as expressed in the claims, but what I claim is:-

1. A card cutting machine comprising a bed, a cutter bar pivoted thereto, a cutter blade xed to said bed, a plate on said bed having a series of designated index lines dening different tab locations, and a series of abutments each selectively movable into operative position in alignment with an associated index line.

2. The combination in a card cutting machine as set forth in claim 1, in which each abutment comprises a stud slidable through said bed, a lever pivoted.y to said stud and to said bed, and an operating plunger extending up through said bed and manually depressible to raise said stud to card-engaging position.

3. The combination in a card cutting machine as set forth in claim l, in which each abutment comprises a stud slidable through said bed, a lever pivoted to said stud and to said bed, an operating plunger extending up through said bed and manually depressible to raise said stud to card-engaging position, and a spring operative to remove said stud from engaging position when the plunger is released.

4. A card cutting machine comprising a bed, and tab cutting means thereon, said bed having a series of index lines formed thereon, extending obliquely with respect to said bed and cutting means and having insignia designating said lines in one series for primary positions and designating successive secondary positions along said lines in another series, whereby several different cards of a single primary set may each be accurately located for tab cutting in secondary positions.

5. A card cutting machine comprising means d". l o

to support a card, means to cut one side of a tab on said card, and means by which said card may bey positioned for said cutting operation, said latter means comprising an edge guide for said card, a series of index lines inclined with respect to said edge guide, and insignia designating said lines in one series for primary positions, and designating successive secondary positions along said lines in another series, whereby a card may be located with its end in coincidence with selected designations, one in each of said series.

6. A card cutting machine comprising a bed, a cutter bar pivoted thereto, a cutter blade fixed to said bed, a plate on said bed having a series of designated index lines defining different tab locations, an abutment for positioning one side edge of a card, and additionalabutments for selectively positioning an end of said card, said additional abutments being normally inoperative and each being separately and selectively movable to a separate predetermined operative position.

7. A card cutting machine comprising means to support a card, means to cut one side of a tab on said card, and means by which said card may be positioned for said cutting operation, said latter means comprising an edge guide for said card, a series of index lines inclined with respect to said edge' guide but having short end portions perpendicular to the edge guide, said short end portions having insignia designating said lines in one series for primary positions and said inclined lines having additional insignia designating secondary positions along said lines in another series, whereby a card may be located with its end in coincidence with selected designations, one in each series.

8. The combination in a card cutting machine as set forth in claim 7, in which the secondary positions are so spaced along said inclined lines that each secondary position is aligned with some one of said short end portions, whereby a card may be more accurately located.

9. A card cutting machine comprising a card support, a tab cutting means associated therewith, said support having means by which a card may be positioned to provide a tab having one side edge in a selected location spaced from both ends of the card and in predetermined position with respect to one end of said card, and additional means by which said card may be positioned for completing said tab with any one of a series of different predetermined lengthwise dimensions therefor.

EDWIN L. BOSWORTH. 

